FNRttC Friday Night Ride to the Coast 13th March 2009

[TimO]

if they're going to happen, that's mostly where they happen....

...or that nasty sharp stuff they use at Gatwick, it's called carpet I believe. It's seems to be a terrible source of visitations (and no, I'm not entirely joking!)

 

[Flying Dodo]

Well this old grizzly is just about ready. Time to force a few more carbs inside.

 

[TimO]

I'm still twiddling my thumbs, and watching Dr Who on iPlayer. If I left now, I'd be at HPC before 11 !

 

[benborp]

I'm still at work and getting a little impatient to be off...

 

[benborp]

Right. Everyone's dead now so it's time for me to leave.

 

[TimO]

I just left them after about 11 miles, between Beddington and Carshalton. They were doing a cracking pace, so I don't expect that they'll be late into Brighton unless other problems intervene.

Unusually there was some sort of event on in the archway at Hyde Park Corner, although it seemed to be finishing as we were waiting there.

The traffic seemed a bit busier on the stretch that I cycled, more so than on the three (at least) previous rides I've been on in that direction. Maybe it was because of Red Nose day, and more people were out doing things. The weather is very mild for the time of year, which probably helps to encourage people out, and is also very good for FNRttC attendance, which was something like 40 people.

I've got a mild headache, and I think the cat was suffering from separation anxiety, after having his first whole day at home whilst I've been at work, since getting out of the vets. He's been following me around the house, which is unlike him, he's normally a bit more independent. It's probably just as well I decided to leave early.

I'm sure there will be lots of people along in a few hours to say how much they enjoyed the ride. It looks like it should be a good one, the weather is certainly playing it's part.

 

[benborp]

Cracking ride. Great company plus lots of fun swooping through the lanes unmolested by other traffic. Arrived at the top of Ditchling Beacon the moment the sun came up although you couldn't tell as everything was veiled with a ghostly mist. I loved it. Cheers Simon and everyone else on the ride.

 

[dellzeqq]

Wow. There was some serious stuff last night, and, having woken from a three hour nap, I'm going to take a while to sort the memories out. In the mean time I'm due in the Kings Road at 2.30, where I have to go through the motions of that husband thing.

There were times when we poured ourselves down that road. Epic stuff (repeat of stuff, but, stuff, if stuff there is, was pretty darn stufftastic last night.)

 

[dellzeqq]

the bare facts are that we were 43 strong for some of the ride, and 42 strong for other bits. That's the starting point for 44 different stories

- Matthew chasing down escapees for whom the words 'go right, go right' accompanied by hand signals clearly meant 'go straight on'
- Marna just plugging away, smiling all the time
- the confederacy of elderly gents swanning along chatting for a while, and then attempting to rip the legs off the young people (and coming close)
- Brian restored to us, smiling all the time

There was a lot of smiling. I sort of wandered around, chatting to people, but picking my moments for pounding along, and for me, from my particular perspective, going round User10571's bend at pace, from the right hand extreme of the road to clipping the hedge on the apex with my shoulder, then taking the liberty of night time riding and going right out to the right hand side again before cutting the righthander 100 yards down the road - tsssaaaoooooo!

 

[Tony]

Yes, I did like that road!

 

[Aperitif]

Ab-so-lutely - bloody brilliant! More later, but a massive thanks to dellzeqq and companions who were responsible for setting this in motion.
Fantastic fun.

 

[Flying Dodo]

and for me, from my particular perspective, going round User10571's bend at pace, from the right hand extreme of the road to clipping the hedge on the apex with my shoulder, then taking the liberty of night time riding and going right out to the right hand side again before cutting the righthander 100 yards down the road - tsssaaaoooooo!

Later on, I was a bit worried by your continued tendency to carry on the right hand side of the road, when we were coming down Ditchling - straight towards a car which fortunately kept to the left. Windscreen wipers for glasses would be a good invention (anyone remember Fred Dinage's attempt on "How!", from many year's ago)?

I think this is the 15th or 16th one of these I've done, and each one is different. I was very impressed by the overall turnout, with a number of speed demons.

Heading through London, there seemed to be more traffic around than normal, so sadly a few drivers seemed to get a bit wound up at being delayed for a few seconds. Once out of the suburbs, though, it was very quiet, although I did have a fox try and run into me at one point.

On going through the estates in Horley to get to Gatwick, User10571 and I were at the front, and he commented I'd gone very quiet, as sadly I'd realised we'd got lost. Fortunately we regrouped and eventually found our way onto the secret footpath into the airport. Despite the headwind, it was a fast ride (even Costa Coffee at Gatwick seemed to have speeded up their staff).

There were a few drops of rain on the second half of the ride, although as we approached Ditchling, the fact you couldn't see the top, meant we were ascending into mist. I struggled a bit going up there - my lack of recent miles is showing. Sadly, once at the top, with the mist the only view was about 20 metres around you! This, and the headwind, also put paid to ideas of triggering the speed camera down the hill into Brighton - from past experience you need 37 mph or more to get it to flash.

A quick refuelling at the Madeira cafe - I'm always very impressed at how friendly and efficient they are - and then back on the train.

Thanks Simon and everyone else.

 

[arallsopp]

Nice one. Ouch. Fantastic. Speechless.

Sincere thanks to

• Simon
• the (near perfect ) leaders
• tail-end charlies
• anyone who brought cake, flapjack, maltloaf, or a Yuba Mundo
• the friends I've made,
• whoever the hell it was on the fixie infront when I topped 62.9kph.
• the merry band of companions who spent the rest of this morning chasing up every hill between Brighton and London on the way back.

You made my night. 211km of joy.

Many many pics to sort through, but early favourites here.

 

[arallsopp]

Evening all. Time lapse video footage here.

Camera was set to 90 second intervals from 1150ish Friday, to home this afternoon.
Compressed down, about a minute

Why am I not asleep?

 

[Tony]

In total contrast, FD, was the driver of what I expected to be a problem car in the Riverside in Horley, who just quietly followed us along and then waited till we cleared a path for him, and said thank you with a grin.
I was rather shocked!